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I looked up at him. “Why not?”
“This is a place for people to relax. It should be about emptying your mind of its poison, not filling it with more.”
I tilted my head at him and raised an eyebrow. “Interesting point.” I looked back at the magazine and started flicking through it.
“Suit yourself.” He said sounding like a petulant child.
I carried on ignoring him until he was called through for his massage.
Oh this was going to be fun. I just knew it.
I knew that Smith would be back out in forty-five minutes so while I waited I availed myself of the facilities. You don’t realize how tightly strung you are until you start to relax. I should come here on my days off anyway. I could feel my shoulders unknotting, the tension disappearing out of me and I reckoned as soon as I left here I was going to head back to my room and sleep for the afternoon.
Returning to the relaxation room five minutes before Smith was due to come out, this time I chose one of the recliners, making sure I had a vacant one next to me. This time I toweled off, took off the robe and laid out in just my costume. I closed my eyes and hoped to God I didn’t start snoring. I focused on the gentle background music to keep me awake and thought over what to wear to the party tomorrow. Serena Saxton would wear designer to a party, but here I was Serena Ripley. I needed to dumb the clothes down—to look good but not like I had any money, although even if I’d worn my best outfits, there was no way I was playing in the same leagues as the ones here in Carbon Beach.
I heard noises at the side of me and opened my eyes.
“Sorry to disturb you.” said Smith as he laid down on his lounger. He was wrapped in a robe; the back of his short pale blond hair glistened with oil.
I stretched out and yawned, then rubbed at my eyes. I waited a few minutes and then I turned to him.
“I’m just going to get a water. Would you like one?” I asked him.
“Sure. That’d be great.”
I returned and passed him the paper cup and he thanked me.
“I’m Smith.” He said. “Smith Henderson.”
“Serena Ripley.” I replied, noting a flicker of recognition of my name hit his features.
“Ah, the new Events Manager.”
“The very one.”
“So, shouldn’t you be arranging events?”
“It’s my day off, so I thought what better use of my time could there be than to relax in the spa?”
“Oh I can think of a lot of better uses for your time.” His pale blue eyes sparkled.
“Oh yeah? Such as.” Push, push, push.
“Well, looking at the views of the place. Seems a waste to have a day off here and spend it inside.”
Huh? Where was his game and why wasn’t he bringing it?
Then I remembered. They were having a woman rest. My God, even Smith?
“I have all day. I work hard, I needed to unwind. Do you like the place? Is there anything you’d improve?”
“More masseuse maybe. So I could choose who to book in with.”
“Hmmm, there seems to be a problem currently with filling our vacancies. We’ve had quite the turnover. Rumor is that there’s one client who tries to get more than his money’s worth. The vulnerable ones fall for his charm and then have to leave. Fancy abusing the place like that. What a jerk.”
For a moment Smith’s eyes widened and then he recovered himself. “Total jerk.”
“So, without it sounding like a cliché, do you come here often?”
